[Hat-Trick]

Backstrom disappears every year around the 2nd week of April. Regular season phenom, but playoffs he’s the prototype soft Euro, with the same kind of game as the Sedin sisters.

[Mase]

I thought Backstrom had a decent game last night. He had two assists and was gritty (at least for him) on the boards. The interference call on him in the third was bogus, but they still pulled it out.

The Caps played like the best team in hockey for the first two periods. Ovechkin was possessed. Then the third period arrived and they instantly became the perennial playoff losers we know all too well. They were out shot 19-3 in the 3rd. But thanks to Oshie, the Caps play on.